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Thursday, 3 March 2016

A walk around the block

This post should really come after our long weekend getting acquainted with the Motorhome, but I've yet to sort the photos so that will come next. After putting it away in its rented garage on Monday, the sun was shining, the weather was cold but lovely, so I felt inspired to take my camera and go for a walk, rather than start some gardening in the late-ish afternoon.

I surprised my OH after I came home as I mentioned things I'd seen and where I'd seen them, as he hadn't realised I meant I was actually going round the block (as in turn right going out of the house and keep turning right (or vice versa) until one arrives back at the house again). He thought I was just going for a potter up the road and back again! I surprised myself too for having the motivation to get out in the fresh air and away from the house. The walk takes about an hour when you are walking at middling pace and taking lots of photos. It was great to get some exercise and I felt really good in myself for having done this.

Looking back towards my property which is where all the trees are.

Everything is starting to turn yellow - I thought these fields had been planted with a yellow flowered mustard which is a green manure, but now think this is the rape crop, but very early this year, like everything else!

Still a few holly berries on this bush.

This is the Melodious Warbler Walk! Looking very different as the verges and ditches have been cut and cleared of all the brambles and vegetation which was going a bit crazy and swamping the place by late summer. This will be great for the wildflowers in the spring (and butterflies) which I am looking forward to seeing, as I only started checking this place out last summer. On the other hand, cutting down the vegetation is apparently not good for the Wasp Spiders' egg sacs which must have been destroyed, yet they seemed to be abundant here. Again, it will be interesting to see if they are around this year because if so, that means that the cutting back of vegetation has not affected their ability to reproduce.

A lifer bird! At first I thought it was a discarded bucket, as they were near the entrance to a field where dairy cattle go in and out. When I looked through my camera lens I could see there were two birds, one hiding behind the other. They are so cute - I've seen Red Legged Partridges before but never a Grey Partridge. They stood still looking at me for quite a while until I tried to get a little closer, and then of course they ran off!

We've noticed this year that gorse is doing really well and is in full flower everywhere.

There are lots of primroses flowering on the banks.

This umbellifer is a bit previous - I think it's Hogweed but can't be sure.

The only people I met were my neighbours, Armand and Marie-Jo, who walk this route often for exercise. I'd get bored doing the same route over and over. As you can see from Armand's lack of hands, it was rather cold and fresh!

The oldest of the two manor houses in the hamlet. Parts of this one date back to the 1500s.

A view of my house and the back of the barn and chicken/duck sheds from across the field.

As I rounded the corner to come back to my house I noticed the lambs in the paddock on the corner. As I stood taking photos they started gambolling towards me, mother bleating, until they all arrived at the fence, bleating like crazy. Of course they wanted food!!

I feel I can't not mention the very sudden sad loss of a fellow blogger who despite never having met, I would like to call a friend. She commented on all my posts and vice versa. She and her husband moved to Bulgaria three years ago to start a smallholding there.... Sara's husband Dave has said he will keep the blog "NEW START, NEW LIFE IN BULGARIA" going in her memory.

Mandy,thank you for the beautiful walk around the block!! It is a stunning place to live!...nothing like where my walk would be in a subdivision! Loved looking at the photos!! I was also following Sara and her death was a real shock; her life was so full and interesting. She will be missed.

Glad you enjoyed my little walk, Juliet! I think taking a camera makes you appreciate things all the more, for instance I see interest in the shapes of the trees in what could look a barren winter landscape. Also the familiar can become more interesting so I'd probably enjoy seeing where you live even if you think it's boring. Note to self to look at your blog - I added you to my blog roll now - I have to do all that stuff on my proper computer! Thanks. And I know what you mean about Sara, such a shock. :-(

I don't know for sure if it is oilseed rape, but we'll find out soon enough. I've not seen it grown in the immediate vicinity before. I was surprised to see some berries left - just shows how mild the winter has been as there has obviously been plenty of food for the birds. :-)

Thanks Philippa. He wrote some beautiful poetry dedicated to his wife too which is enough to make anyone weep! I am feeling brighter and hope it lasts! We didn't go away in the van, we were just taking it out getting used to it. I doubt we'll actually camp before April, but we'll probably do a day out and test all the heating etc first.

I've no idea if daffs are poisonous - I think the bulbs are, but if the lambs are still alive I guess the flowers/leaves are OK! xx

What a lovely walk on a sunny day, glad you managed to have a little fun with your camera, flowering currants reminds me of home as we had a bush up the side of our old house.If I get chance I want to find some Lambs soon to photograph... so cute

Nice pics Mandy, I arrived in France yesterday and I noticed the gorse in flower, most of my daffodils have finished flowering here. This morning I am watching the snow falling on my camera in England, its 4" and still snowing!

Cheers Ian. So what seems chilly to me here must be quite balmy for you! Hope the weather is not too wet for you. There's plenty of blossom out now near to Rennes, but much less so round here. Got it all to look forward to! :-)

What a great walk and lovely photos Mandy - it looks as though you live in such a beautiful area :) The lambs are exceedingly cute - not seen any here yet. Well done on the Grey Partridge sighting :) There seems lots of gorse in flower round here too.

Thanks RR - it's not bad round here but I see much prettier countryside when I'm in SW England - the grass is always greener etc! I was really chuffed about the partridges, they are such cute little things. :-)

In this day and age with our virtual world we have more friends than we would in real life, so I guess there will be more bad news because of that. I find it amazing how one can be really quite upset by virtual friends dying. It's not getting me down like it did when I was in the depths of depression though. I'm trying to look forward now and accept that these things happen.

Its good to see that you are getting out and enjoying your walk Mandy and what a great walk it is and certainly must be later on in the Spring and Summer. You enjoyment came across in your writing. It looks like Mustard to me and definitely not Oilseed Rape. Grey Partridge are hard to find here as well, but you did get a good sighting.

Thanks Roy. Due some warmer sunny weather this weekend so looking forward to getting out somewhere again! My cameras need dusting off and geting some real practice. :-)

Thanks for the clarification about the mustard. I guess only time will tell if it is ploughed in as a green manure. I haven't seen either this or rape in the fields in the immediate vicinity before - well it makes a change from wheat, barley and maize!!

Lovely photos Mandy and thanks for sharing a lovely walk in the French countryside, It looks lovely where you are and not a pothole in sight! (Unlike the Irish roads).So sorry to hear about your blogging friend. i used to pop in on their blog now and again to see how they were getting on in Bulgeria, so it was a shock to hear such sad news.Great to see you out and about again.xx

Thanks Deb - thinking about it we don't have potholes here - roads can be rather lumpy and patchy (whre they have patched them up before they get to pothole stage) but overall they are very good. Yes it is dreadful news about Sara, I've no idea what happened and I couldn't believe it when I read it. :-(

About Me

Oh, you know, the usual, wellie wearing, chook and duck mother who strives to grow fruit, veg and flowers against the elements....and is just a little bit bug crazy! For more info please read the About Chateau Moorhen page on the right hand sidebar at the top (just under this text).